CHEVROLET MAIN STAGE - Outdoor festival-type venue with concerts all week long and headliners on weekends. FREE with State Fair admission. Sponsored by Chevrolet.

Qualified drivers get the keys from the carmaker in the CHEVY TEST DRIVE.  Some of the manufacturer's most popular cars and trucks are available for test runs in East Park Plaza. FREE.

The crowd-pleasing ILLUMINATION SENSATION offers lights, music, dancing waters and pyrotechnics along the recently refurbished 700-ft. Esplanade reflecting pool. Mattress Firm sponsors the FREE show nightly.

Visitors enjoy a bird's-eye view of Fair Park from the TEXAS SKYWAY. The aerial track stretches 1,800 ft. between two stations; gondolas accomodate strollers or wheelchairs.

Nighttime's the right time for the STARLIGHT PARADE - See illuminated floats, giant puppets and costumed characters each evening at 7:15 p.m. Sponsored by Kitchen Craft. FREE.

It's stately, it's historic, and it's been lovingly restored. Check out the COTTON BOWL, seating 91,000 and home to Fair-time gridiron action:  Grambling State v. Prairie View A&M, Saturday, Oct. 3, and Texas v. Oklahoma, Saturday, Oct. 17.

The outdoor BUD LIGHT TRUE MUSIC STAGE showcases entertainment, plus a wide variety of food choices in Cotton Bowl Plaza. Sponsored by Bud Light. FREE.

The BMX BIKE SHOW presents, up close & personal, the all-star 720 Action Sports team performing gravity-defying feats in the Thrillway. Co-sponsored by U.S. Air Force and All-Sport. FREE.

The state of the art CELEBRITY KITCHEN is the backdrop for this popular event in Creative Arts. Local and regional celebrity chefs demonstrate recipes of all kinds in daily shows. FREE.

The STATE FAIR AUTO SHOW, the biggest new car and truck show in the Southwest, features new models, concept vehicles & weekend collectors' rallies.

Premium nameplates fill the LUXURY SHOWROOM in the Centennial Bldg. "Window shop" and compare sticker prices on new high-end models.

Texans love trucks, and the TRUCK ZONE is where to find 'em. Entertainment and new offerings from Chevy, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, GMC, as well as a few surprises. FREE.

CLASSIC CORRAL - Discover a revolving showcase of vintage autos, motorcycles, Chris-Crafts and more. Meet owners and club members on weekends. Look for the corral fence, across Grand from the African American Museum. FREE.

Find lots of animals to see and feed at the CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER BARNYARD. Visit the popular nursery where sows, ewes, nanny goats and their young are spotlighted. Sponsored by Children's Medical Center. FREE.

Step right up! Imaginations soar at the SCHEPPS BACKYARD CIRCUS when young ones dress up in a make-believe show with lion tamers, tight-rope walkers, ballerinas & a host of circus favorites. Sponsored by Schepps Dairy. FREE.

Steve Martin's free-flight  BIRDS OF THE WORLD showcases feathered friends from around the globe + a singing showstopper. Four shows daily in the Band Shell. Sponsored by Kroger Food Stores. FREE.

Take a seat & have a sip. The courtyard setting of the STATE FAIR OF TEXAS WINE GARDEN offers classes with Texas wine experts. What better fit than jazz on weekends? Across from Creative Arts. Sponsored by Kroger Food Stores and GO TEXAN.

PIG RACES - There they go, snout-to-snout, down the stretch! Three times a day, visitors can "wager" on these wiggly piglets as they send the sawdust flying. TXU Energy Arena. FREE.

Searching for gold has never been so much fun! Visit the COLORADO MINING COMPANY in the Coliseum Market Place. Free 15-minute educational sessions scheduled at 11 a.m. and 1, 3, 5 and 7 p.m. daily.

The dirt flies as little buckaroos in chaps and hats jump on stick horses & go for it at the PEE WEE STAMPEDE. Daily, in the Ranch Arena. Sponsored by OPERATION® the Silly Skill Game. FREE.

GONE TO THE DOGS - Lou Mack's Jump! The Ultimate STUNT Dog Show promises action-packed daytime shows; mid-afternoon & evenings belong to Pam Martin's "Dancing with the Dogs." TXU Energy Arena. FREE.

In a contemplative spot near the front of the park sits the TEXAS VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL, honoring Texans who served the U.S. in the hard-fought and heavily debated conflict. Five tablets of Texas granite bear the names of Texans killed or MIA, including nine Congressional Medal of Honor recipients.

Straight from Washington, D.C., the famed UNITED STATES MARINE DRUM & BUGLE CORPS thrills onlookers in afternoon concerts at Marine Corps Square and in the evening parade. Sept. 25 through Oct. 11 -- except on Wednesdays -- FREE.

Komen on the Go™ arrives at the Fair with its life-saving messages on Sept. 25.  The pink trailer features a fun, hands-on learning experience with important information on breast health and breast cancer. Located in East Park Plaza (Sept. 25 - Oct. 6). FREE.

Zany games with prizes attract lottery fans to the TEXAS LOTTERY SHOW, a hot spot of Fairtime fun. Four shows daily. Sponsored by Texas Lottery Commission.

Circling the feet of the 52-ft. State Fair Ambassador is the diminutive and delightful BIG TEX GARDEN RAILWAY. Designer/landscape artist Paul Busse's miniature train display appeals to young and old alike. Located in Big Tex Circle. Sponsored by Oncor. FREE.

STATE FAIR FALL GARDEN EXHIBITION: Landscapers vie for Best of Show bragging rights, while sculptors ratchet up the visual appeal with artwork scattered throughout Fair Park. Design and planting info is available each step of the way. FREE.

The MIDWAY features 70+ attractions, including the overhead Texas SkyWay®, the 212-ft. Texas Star® Ferris wheel and a 1914 Dentzel carousel. Adrenaline rushes are guaranteed in the extreme ride Thrillway section. Definitely one of the Fair's most popular destinations.

LIVESTOCK BREED DISPLAYS: Cows, pigs, sheep and goats are showcased in breed displays on modern livestock production. Free exhibits located in Cattle Barn 1 and the Swine Building.

LITTLE HANDS ON THE FARM engage in "pretend" egg-gathering, planting, harvesting, and caring for a cow. At the end, they get play money for grocery shopping at the store. Sponsored by Bank of America, Dreyer's Ice Cream, AT&T and Wal-Mart/Sam's Club. FREE.

"WORLD ON A STRING" PUPPET SHOW: Master puppeteer John Hardman and his cast of marionettes perform throughout the day in Creative Arts' Showplace Theater. FREE.

Guests line the fence when SPIRIT OF THE HORSE begins. Expert Robert Liner showcases his training methods and communication with horses. Daily, in the Ranch Arena. Sponsored by OPERATION® the Silly Skill Game. FREE.

LIVESTOCK: Diligence and countless hours pay off for 4H and FFA exhibitors at the Youth Livestock Auction of Champions. A roster of shows and sales offers an array of beef and dairy cattle, sheep, swine, goats, poultry and exotic breeds.

Cows from nearby farms are brought to the MILKING PARLOR for an entertaining and educational exhibit of modern milking procedures. Daily demonstrations in Cattle Pavilion 1. Sponsored by Southwest Dairy Museum. FREE.

SHOP for the practical, the unusual & everything in between. Discover 300+ exhibit spaces in the Coliseum Market Place, Grand Place, Crafts Pavilion, Centennial Building (inside & out), Gateway Pavilion, Embarcadero, East Park/Gateway and the Pennsylvania Gate.

Synonymous with fairs everywhere, CREATIVE ARTS is where to find ribbon-winners in more than 1,100 categories, including canning, quilts, photography and crafts. Contest kitchens feature daily competitions and cooking demos. FREE.

BACKDOOR STAGE : The Killdares bring their Celtic rock back to the State Fair of Texas.  Shows at 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 p.m.  Sponsored by WAHL Trimmers. FREE.

ENTERTAINMENT STAGES AND STREET PERFORMERS: Talented and unique entertainers perform on street corners or small stages scattered throughout the park.

MUNDO LATINO: Annual celebration of Hispanic culture, its history, traditional music, instruments and costumes in the Hall of State.  The Mercado is a true shopping experience and is open daily. FREE.

Get set for the national touring company of Broadway's MARY POPPINS, with two of the original stars. The Dallas Summer Musicals production runs from Sept. 24 - Oct. 18, closed on Mondays. Remember, DART's new Green Line drops patrons just steps away from the Music Hall.

Fair Park is home to an array of year-round MUSEUMS and attractions.

Music Seen:  Rock 'n' Roll Photo-journalists will rock The Women's Museum with 100+ photos by Lynn Goldsmith and Janet Macoska. Open daily, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. FREE.

"An Extraordinary Man with a Mighty Vision" -- a traveling exhibit and comprehensive look at the life of George Washington Carver -- makes a stop at the African American Museum. The show is developed by Chicago's Field Museum in tandem with Tuskegee University and the National Park Service.

Sleuths, listen up: The Science of Spying will feature how to detect liars, crack safes and find hidden clues. The new spy skills exhibition will be onboard at the Museum of Nature & Science, admission charged.

The new Rosine Smith Sammons Butterfly House and Insectarium opens at Texas Discovery Gardens, admission charged. The first public garden in Texas to be certified 100% organic, TDG offers the native wildlife pond, scent garden, shade garden & heirloom garden free of charge.

See two legendary Union Pacific "work-horses" + more than 30 pieces of historic equipment, including a steam calliope, whistle display and a special, Fair-time exhibit at the Museum of the American Railroad. You can't miss 1942's towering #4018 "Big Boy."

Discover American history memorabilia at the Continental DAR House. Exhibits, artifacts, flag displays, patriotic videos and music are featured. The New Andrews Sisters perform during the State Fair of Texas. Free.

Don't forget the Dallas Aquarium (closed for renovations until 2010) will be "back in business" next year.

Hours and admissions to Fair Park museums vary. Please check www.fairpark.org for more information.

Please note: All information is subject to change without notice and should be confirmed just prior to your visit.